Ultimate Argument: Pendulum vs Piston Stroke

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
I have tried both and I might be better pool player with the piston stroke. I realize this drops the elbow and moves the shoulder but we've got to choose which one. I know a lot of schools and instructors only want the pure pendulum stroke. Please tell us what you use and why.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have tried both and I might be better pool player with the piston stroke. I realize this drops the elbow and moves the shoulder but we've got to choose which one. I know a lot of schools and instructors only want the pure pendulum stroke. Please tell us what you use and why.
Pendulum. It's the way that I learned, and less moving body parts - as the elbow and upper arm stay fairly stationary, although you do have to release your wrist for a proper follow-through. However, hard to question the accuracy of the piston stroke of Ronnie O'Sullivan! Most important thing is whichever stroke you use must require you to keep your head stationary throughout the complete stroke.
 

GoldCrown

AzB Gold Member
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Silver Member
SPF as per Scott Lee.
Why? It works for me. Before that I hit with no regard to technique and was all over the place. Shooting better now. Confidence is up.
 

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
Pendulum. It's the way that I learned, and less moving body parts - as the elbow and upper arm stay fairly stationary, although you do have to release your wrist for a proper follow-through. However, hard to question the accuracy of the piston stroke of Ronnie O'Sullivan! Most important thing is whichever stroke you use must require you to keep your head stationary throughout the complete stroke.

The snooker teacher, Nic Barrow has a $500 stroke device that he sells that teaches the piston stroke. He says it is the best for pool and snooker. I suppose it's something everyone must face when learning a better stroke.
 

Andrew Manning

Aspiring know-it-all
Silver Member
Pure pendulum is not for me. My stance is very low to the cue, with my chin firmly planted and light chest contact as well. A pendulum stroke isn't possible without moving my head and chest up and down with the cue, or limiting myself to a very short backswing/follow-through to limit the vertical movement of the cue butt.

Pendulum can be a useful "stroke thought" to try to quiet the role of any movement that isn't from the elbow joint (some of which can be harmful), but strictly sticking to it I think only really works for a small percentage of players.
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Why not have pendulum and piston in your bag of tricks?
...some shots favor one over the other....
....some shots require both in the same shot.
 

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
SPF as per Scott Lee.
Why? It works for me. Before that I hit with no regard to technique and was all over the place. Shooting better now. Confidence is up.

What does SPF mean?
 

Poolhall60561

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Joe Davis wrote a lot about this subject.

A64AAC35-6EAC-4852-A4BE-A06CE577C9D6.jpeg
 

M.G.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It is mostly dependant on the taper of your cue and how you go about hitting the white where you are aiming and are wanting to hit.

Move on, nothing to see here :thumbup:
 

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
It is mostly dependant on the taper of your cue and how you go about hitting the white where you are aiming and are wanting to hit.

Move on, nothing to see here :thumbup:

Yes, only your stroke. Nothing to see here.
 

Andrew Manning

Aspiring know-it-all
Silver Member
Elaborate, please

:scratchhead:

On the stroke you hit the CB with, you either kept your elbow still and swung only the forearm (pendulum stroke), or you didn't. If you're combining piston and pendulum motion what you have is neither a pendulum nor a piston stroke; you certainly don't have "both".

But moving beyond that to address your point more broadly, only the cue's speed and direction affect the CB. No shot requires a certain stroking technique; instead whatever stroking technique allows the player to achieve the required speed and direction most reliably is the one that's called for.
 

icucybe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
what pros use pendulum stroke? Everyone I see drop their elbow... even Landon Shuffet and his dad is an instructor.

I do have to say I don't see Dr. Dave lowering his elbow and seen him make some powerful shots.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
what pros use pendulum stroke? Everyone I see drop their elbow... even Landon Shuffet and his dad is an instructor.

I do have to say I don't see Dr. Dave lowering his elbow and seen him make some powerful shots.

Tony Robles
Hunter Lombardo
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
I find it easier to draw or stop the ball with pendulum.

For follow, I drop the elbow .
When on the rail and high on the ball, I mishit the cue ball if I don't drop the elbow.

Then you have pros like James Aranas and Efren who slip the cue most of the time .
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
All you dam people with your damn pause befor delivery are messing up my damn game!

I cant even watch you, I get infected so easily.
 

icucybe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tony Robles
Hunter Lombardo

Was watching a videos of Tony, he was dropping elbow almost every shot I saw; it was 2014 9ball match vs Rodney Morris.

Hunter on the other hand from what I saw didn't drop elbow once!
 
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